The Christchurch Terrorist Compared Himself to Anti-Apartheid Veteran Nelson Mandela

New Zealand is currently still processing the aftermath of the Christchurch terrorist attack which occurred last week Friday. White supremacist Brenton Tarrant shot and killed at least 50 Muslims during their prayers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. As if that were not horrendous enough, Tarrant live-streamed the attack.

The late Nelson Mandela is perhaps one of the most internationally renowned figures who, along with numerous and equally important other men and women, fought against Apartheid for the liberation of Black South Africans. For his underground political activities with the African National Congress (ANC), he was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Robben Island following one of his most compelling speeches at the infamous Rivonia Trial.

There has been considerable critique of the late statesman over the past few years especially, with some South Africans even going as far as labeling him a 'sellout' and white apologist. Others have questioned whether Mandela has not been given the status of a demigod.

READ: Why Are We So Obsessed with Making a God of Nelson Mandela?

What remains undeniable, however, is the magnitude of Mandela's sacrifice for South Africa. And thus, it is an incredible reach, absurd even, that Tarrant likens himself to Mandela as if his Islamophobic actions were in some way heroic. They were not.

In his manifesto entitled The Great Replacement, Tarrant writes:

"I do not expect to be released, but I also expect an eventual Nobel Peace prize - as was awarded to the terrorist Nelson Mandela once his own people achieved victory and took power...I expect to be freed in 27 years from my incarceration, the same number of years as Mandela, for the same crime."

South Africa, along with many other countries, have condemned the terrorist attack carried out by Tarrant.